Contrasting discourse systems..
Features of the biomedical discourse in the renal care context:
key topics:
- renal function
- renal failure: causes, consequences, diagnosis
- renal management: blood
tests, medications, diet, fluid, fistula, dialysis
- assumes shared understanding of underlying biomedical concepts e.g.
function of the heart, components of blood, theories of disease causation
- predominantly English
- interrogative (question and answer) and / or directive
- Balanda discourse preferences are dominant in all interactions between
staff and patients
Features of the Yolŋu discourse (outside the medical encounter):
key topics:
- going home / forced relocation
- family / relationships
- resources (food, housing, financial)
- supernatural agency
assumes shared understanding of underlying Yolŋu concepts e.g. kinship,
rules of obligation/avoidance, disease causation
- exclusively Yolŋu languages
- relationship between participants highly
influential
- event-focused, experience-based narrative
- these features of Yolŋu discourse
are marginalised or excluded from encounters with staff as patients
accommodate staff discourse preferences.